KUALA LUMPUR: Cameron Highlands' picturesque landscapes and cool air make it an evergreen magnet drawing tourists but this also creates unbearable traffic conditions for tourists and residents alike.
Social media is often filled with the grumblings of road users about traffic jams in Cameron Highlands, especially during holidays.
Despite this, people continue to flock to the highlands in Pahang.
According to Sinar Harian a drive from Tanah Rata to Brinchang then Kea Farm usually takes 20 minutes.
However, during holidays, this seven-kilometre journey can turn into a nearly three-hour crawl.
Civil servant Nurul Izzawati Ali, 39, said her recent trip to Cameron Highlands was not worth it.
"We knew that Cameron Highlands would be packed during the weekend, so we came on Wednesday planning to stay a few nights.
"But there was congestion and a lack of parking," she said, adding they had to park and walk quite a distance to the places they wanted to visit.
In the end, the family only managed to visit two places and decided to go back to their home in Bangi, Selangor, the next day.
Residents like Shahrul Anuar Ahmad, 53, and Nor Diyana Zainul Abidin, 29, are familiar with the traffic congestion. Both said they preferred to stay at their respective homes during the holidays.
For trader Tengku Muhammad Ikmar Tengku Kamarul Zaman, 42, the traffic jams take a toll on his business.
"When the main roads are congested, customers won't stop at Brinchang because it is a single-lane road.
"They don't want to turn back to face the jams."
Meanwhile, Tanah Rata assemblyman Ho Chi Yang said a four-kilometre bypass is being constructed and will be ready in two years.
This is expected to reduce congestion around Kea Farm, Brinchang.